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As part of their benefits packages for 2023, 40% of U.S. organizations offer fertility benefits, according to a new study by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans. That is up from 30% of organizations who offered such benefits in 2020, said IFEBP, which has been tracking fertility and family-forming benefits for 7 years.
The foundation said companies are offering such benefits for a variety of reasons, including attracting and retaining key talent, saving on health care costs, matching benefits to diversity, equity and inclusion goals, and to support overall well-being of their workforce.
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"Fertility and adoption benefits have been rapidly increasing over the past seven years, as our data shows," said Julie Stich, CEBS, VP of content at IFEBP. "I expect these offerings to continue to grow and expand as the needs of the workforce evolve. More organizations are understanding the impact of these benefits from a diversity, equity, and inclusion standpoint, and how the addition can improve the overall well-being of their employees."
Related: Family-friendly benefits span beyond just fertility
According to the study, 28% of organizations cover fertility medications, up from 8% in 2016; 30% cover in vitro fertilization treatments, up from 13% in 2016; 16% cover genetic testing to determine infertility issues, up from 11% in 2018; and 17% cover non-IVF fertility treatments, up from 6% in 2016. In addition, 14% of organizations reported that they cover egg harvesting and freezing services, a substantial increase from just 2% in 2016.
"Fertility clinics reported that egg harvesting and freezing happened more than usual over the pandemic because women were putting off having babies during the uncertainties," said Stich. "We're now continuing to see a steady increase in family-forming benefits because of its high value by talent no matter their gender identity or relationship status."
Stitch noted that offering fertility benefits to Fl employees, including LGBTQ+ and single prospective parents, is a positive way to create a more inclusive workplace.
For families looking to adopt, paid/unpaid leave and financial assistance offerings are trending up over the past few years, with more employers offering paid adoption leave. More than one-third of organizations offered paid adoption leave last year, up from 16% in 2014 and 19% offered financial assistance with adoption, up from 12% in 2014.
"Benefits like fertility and adoption support send a positive message to employees or prospective employees that this organization understands the diverse needs of its workforce," said Stitch. "Starting or expanding a family is a monumental life event for employees so telling a story of support and inclusion through benefit offerings is important. Assessing the needs of an organization and its workforce is important before offering any benefit, as a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer very effective."
Kristen Beckman is a freelance writer based in Colorado. She previously was a writer and editor for ALM's Retirement Advisor magazine and LifeHealthPro online channel.
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